Early childhood education for sustainability and the legacies of two pioneering giants

Abstract

This paper considers Early Childhood Education for Sustainable Development from the perspective of two pioneers, Maria Montessori and Rudolph Steiner. These pioneers advocated for strong community ethics based on social justice, peace and equality. This is discussed in relation to current practices in England. Although the Early Years Foundation Stage acknowledges the importance of an inclusive environment, there is little recognition of how the power of education has the ability to transform children and adults. Montessori notes the child as the ‘constructor of civilisation’, which resonates with the idea of a strong capable child in contrast to a passive model of a child who listens ‘attentively’ and ‘responds appropriately’. Similarly, Steiner sought to foster key attributes to ensure that children have an ‘inner voice of conscience and a sense of justice and responsibility’. This paper considers early childhood as a transformative time and argues that early childhood educators should empower children to act as critical agents of change.